Activating the sacral chakra
If we liken moving up through the chakras to moving up Maslow’s Heiarchy of needs, the emotional desires of the second chakra, Svadhisthana, is what’s allowed once the physical needs for safety & security have been met for the Root chakra.
What is the essence of the sacral chakra?
The visualization of the Sacral chakra is a glowing orange orb bellow the belly button & wrapping around to the lumbar vertebrae. Swadisthana is the energy center connected to our emotional and creative needs, channeled by artists of all mediums. It is the chakra of pleasure, passion, and connecting.
This chakra is not just the center of artistic creation, but also the creation of humans. The birthing of new ideas and the birthing of new people. In a less primordial way than the root chakra though- not birth & death-but more like sexuality & fertility. This means the sacral chakra is also inextricable from the divine feminine. Remember that the terms divine feminine & masculine do not refer to modern day conceptualizations of gender, but are more synonymous with yin & yang, Shiva & Shakti, left brain & right brain. Whatever you want to call it, there is a sacred duality of life force energy. The sacral chakra (and all the others) includes both, but especially in this second chakra the divine feminine is emphasized as a fluid creatress force of life, art, and nature.
When we cultivate a flow of unwavering passion and creativity, we’ve aligned this chakra. We embody Svadhisthana when we are in touch with our emotions, letting our feelings and intuition guide us. When we let go and step into the flow of life, not trying to control everyone/thing, we align this chakra. A flowing, open sacral chakra is supported by secure relationships with others (romantically and beyond) where we can clearly communicate our emotional needs. The expansion of this chakra is also supported when we value and express our sacred sensuality and sexuality, when we honor the divine feminine.
How can we work with the sacral chakra?
Now that we understand what comprises the second energy center, we can explore ways to connect deeper, to open and heal it. Here is a list of jumping off points fo topics that could each really be their whole own blog post!!
make art, of any kind! Channel your emotions through creative expression
tap into and the divine feminine, the yin, the go-with-the-flow attitude
nurture the wounds of the divine feminine energy, including anything from sexual to womb-space trauma, to hormonal imbalances, to mother- daughter relationships. For any womxn living in our global patriarchal society, this energy center is most definitely going to be one to nurture and gain a deeper understanding of. I don’t like to use the term ‘closed’ to describe a subtle energy system like a chakra (because its not that black and white), but most womxn are going to have an under-active sacral chakra, and simply bringing awareness to this begins to process of awakening & embodying it’s energy fully
connect to lunar energy through moon magick or rituals, or even just gazing up at the night sky! Our maiden mother moon is the planetary embodiment of the divine feminine, so it is also connected to the sacral chakra.
explore the Tantric roots of yoga, the lineage from which the 7 chakra system originates. It highlights the duality of Shiva & Shakti and emphasizes the divine feminine from a very beautiful perspective
dance! Think of dance styles like belly dancing or twerking- they appear innately sexual because they move that sacral charka, baby!!! I could go on about this one forever, but we’ve been conditioned to think dancing is shameful or weird when its literally such a natural and necessary thing to do.
feel into your sensual, sexual energy- in whatever way that means to you!
build emotional resiliency. Focus on learning to self-soothe and finding different ways to let emotions move through you (journaling, therapy, body work). If you’re sensitive and feel all the feels- this point especially is super healing
observe how the physical body picks up and stores emotions and energy throughout the day. Maybe try a nightly body scan meditation for a few days & a little journaling on how they felt (see prompts below!)
connect with the water element! This could mean anything from a cleansing shower visualization to swimming in the ocean to a cleansing rituals for your [water safe] crystals
Journal prompts:
make a list of all the ways you allow an emotional release in your life. How often are you utilizing these tools?
can I identify any particular spot in my physical body that is holding onto an emotion I felt recently?
how do I displace or project my own emotional experiences or state onto others? Maybe reflect on a specific instance or maybe you can notice a pattern of instances that trigger this thought/behavior? (for ex. “every time I'm stressed about work I also argue with my parter”)
what are the stories I’ve told myself about my ability to create art or be an ‘artist’? Do I make room in my life to create with no expectations of the outcome?
what does the divine feminine mean to me? How/when am I most connected to my sacred feminine energy?
what brings me the most joy in life?
At a glance:
Color: orange ~600 nanometers
Physical vessel: lower back, reproductive organs, sacrum, pelvis/lower stomach
Bija mantra: “VAM”
Element: water
Ayurvedic dosha: kapha
Crystals: citrine, moonstone, goldstone, pyrite, tiger’s eye, orange carnelian
Planets: our mama Moon & Venus
